Der Blogger

"Enough is enough!" "This can't go on!" "This has to stop!" These were among the comments that came through the blizzard of commentary after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County. We have heard these words before.

Wanderlust

As a travel destination, Germany has never been more popular. With tourist numbers forecast to rise for an eighth consecutive year, what is the country doing right to account for its thriving visitor numbers?

Akademia

For education experts, English language lessons have proven valuable in primary schools in North Rhine-Westphalia. But the Alternative for Germany’s state parliamentary group in NRW have a rather different view.

Essen & Trinken

Police in the city of Osnabrück had to clear crowds in front of a new döner kebab shop on Tuesday, after about 150 hungry people packed the street outside, eager to get their hands on a döner for only €0.01.

Germericana

Many Americans have German ancestors — and that's also the case for actress Meghan Markle, who will be marrying Prince Harry, himself a descendant of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a German dynasty.

No politician spared: The Rose Monday Carnival parades

Eleven minutes past the 11th hour on the 11th of November officially marks the beginning of the carnival season in Germany.

But it isn’t until February when the celebrations truly hit their peak, with elaborate citywide displays of color, costumes and music.

The history of Carnival can be traced back to Germanic tribes celebrating the return of daylight and warmth after the long winter months.

As Christianity took root in the region, the celebrations continued prior to Lent, the period of fasting before Easter. The first modern parade took place in Cologne in 1823.

Many areas of the predominately Roman Catholic Rhineland – including the larger cities of Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Aachen and Mainz – proudly claim their own distinct version of the event, known as the “Rheinische” Carnival.

The week is famously punctuated by exuberant all-night parties, eye-catching attire and dancing.

But arguably one of the most anticipated days every year is Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday, which is always celebrated on the Shrove Monday before Ash Wednesday.

Thousands of people line the streets in the cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf to catch a glimpse of the most famous Fasching parades and floats.

Pushing the boundaries

Political satire has become something of a traditional theme for many of the floats. Every year the master float builders leave people guessing about which powerful figures they’ll be taking aim at with their papier-mache creations.

Seemingly no topic is off limits; previous targets have included Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Bashar al-Assad, Kim Jong Un and the Catholic Church.

Unsurprisingly, typically unflattering and sometimes controversial displays occasionally draw attention outside of Germany. In 2016 a float depicting the screaming head of then-candidate Donald Trump with the words “Make fascism great again” made headlines in the United States.

Kultur

The German term "Heimat," often translated as "homeland," was long thought of as tacky, regressive, and even politically dubious. But since the election, German politicians across the spectrum are using it once again.

Das Kino

This month's Berlin film festival, Europe's first major cinema showcase in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelations, will shine a light on sexual misconduct in the industry, its director said on Tuesday.

Gesundheit

In the run-up to international World Cancer Day on Sunday, experts have said that about half of all cancer cases in Germany could be prevented by a healthier lifestyle. Across the country, around 500,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year. But experts say things like exercise could cut this figure in half. “Movement can […]